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Gervonta Davis Warns His Opponent Frank Martin for Making Bold Claims About Sparring

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Gervonta Davis

After a year-long hiatus, Gervonta Davis is expected to return to the ring on 15 June against undefeated opponent Frank Martin. And the banter between the duo seems to have started with a sparring session. Earlier today, the Baltimore native turned to social media to warn his upcoming opponent for making some bold claims about their old sparring session.

‘Tank’ Davis hasn’t fought anyone since defeating Ryan Garcia in April last year, so fans have been eagerly awaiting his return. Even though nothing has been finalized yet, the back and forth between them points in the right direction. Meanwhile, one of Martin’s interviews with Naji seems to have rubbed Davis the wrong way!

Gervonta Davis threatens to upload the sparring video

Turning to X (formerly Twitter), a user shared a clip from Martin’s interview with Naji from Cigar Talk. In the clip, Naji questioned Martin about his sparring session with Davis, where Martin allegedly got hurt, something Davis had also claimed. In response, Martin boldly claimed that it was “Big Cap.” He went as far as to say that things were the opposite way around.

Claiming he never got hurt, Martin stated, “I hurt that ni***.” Of course, ‘Tank’ Davis wasn’t going to have any of it, so he quickly hopped on the platform to reveal the truth. In a now-deleted tweet, Davis wrote, “Keep talking.. Ima upload the video.” What’s more, a social media post from Davis might just have confirmed his fight next month.

‘Tank’ Davis confirms fight is in June

Despite no official word, as per reports, Davis and Martin may share the limelight with David Benavidez and his opponent Oleksandr Gvozdyk. The fight will also see Davis’ WBA lightweight title on the line. More importantly, Davis might have confirmed his fight date with a post on social media. He shared a picture from his fight against Ryan Garcia and simply wrote “June” in the caption.

Moreover, Davis’ fans interpreted the post in several different ways. While some thought he was teasing a rematch against Ryan Garcia, others thought it was a warning for Martin. However, given Garcia is slated to fight Devin Haney on April 20, that fight is unlikely to happen. The post most likely was Davis’ way of predicting what he would do to his next opponent, i.e. Martin.

With that said, a fight between Gervonta Davis and Frank Martin has started to seem real, but only time will tell whether Davis gets to enter the ring again. Who do you think would win if the duo collided in June?

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BOXING

“He Going To Go in There To Get Respect”: Devin Haney Predicts Gervonta Davis vs. Frank Martin

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On the 15th of June, Gervonta Davis, now Abdul Wahid having converted to Islam, is expected to return against Frank Martin after the last fight against Ryan Garcia in April 2023. Although Martin sparred with Davis in the past and understands Davis’ approach to boxing, several people doubt if the undefeated lightweight boxer will have a chance against ‘Tank’. For example, even though Eddie Hearn felt the fight would be “good for numbers,” he claimed Martin would be “an easy fight“.

Meanwhile, Oscar De La Hoya could not understand why Davis was fighting Martin, a fighter whose fights ‘Golden Boy’ had never seen. At this, Devin Haney, ahead of his fight against Ryan Garcia on April 20th, offered his views on Martin taking on Davis.

Devin Haney doesn’t find Frank Martin’s skills convincing enough

As of now, Frank Martin has fought and won 18 fights. Out of the 18 victories, he has won 12 of his fights via knockouts. Although Martin is 29, only two of his fights were scheduled for 12 rounds. And against Michel Rivera and Artem Harutyunyan, Martin went the distance of 12 rounds to win the fights via UD. Additionally, among other experienced fighters, Martin has fought Ryan Kielczweski, Romero Duno, and Jackson Marinez. As a result, Devin Haney feels Martin lacks the experience one requires to face someone as elite as Gervonta Davis.

“I think that ‘Tank’ beats him. I mean we haven’t seen Frank Martin at the highest level, the elite level. Not saying that he isn’t elite. But, we just haven’t seen him,” said Devin Haney. “Do I think he’s going to go in there and lay down? No. I think he going to go in there to get his respect. And he gon’ fight back,” he added.

And provided the resume ‘Tank’ has built over the years, echoing Eddie Hearn, Haney said, “But, I just think that ‘Tank’ has the experience, has his skills, and will be victorious.” “But, will it be easy? I can’t say. But, do I think that Frank Martin is gonna go in there and show that he is a contender? Yes,” Haney concluded.

Meanwhile, while Devin Haney thinks Gervonta Davis’ skills exceed Martin’s, Frank had said that Davis was not the most powerful puncher he faced in the ring. Well, ahead of the Leo Santa Cruz fight, Frank, working as a training partner, helped Davis prepare for the fight. After a “good experience” with Davis, on being asked if Davis had the most powerful punches, Martin had replied, “Nah, it’s a Mexican boxer I sparred [with]. His name is Pablo.”

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BOXING

WBC President Votes For Six Judges For Fury-Usyk Clash In May

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Oleksandr Tyson

If World Boxing Council President Mauricio Sulaiman has his way, there will be six judges scoring the May 18 undisputed heavyweight title fight between Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury.

“What we saw last week in Saudi Arabia was another example of how fragile officiating worldwide continues to be,” Sulaiman told BoxingScene Thursday.

Sulaiman was referring mostly to his organization’s featherweight champion Rey Vargas retaining his belt over Nick Ball by split draw despite Ball scoring knockdowns in the eighth and 11th rounds.

Vargas’ boxing advantage in the early rounds convinced judge Massimo Barrovecchio that the Mexico product won, 114-112, but judge Jon Baelim had the bout 116-110 for Ball. Judge Rey Danseco scored it 113-113.

“We saw one judge have it one way big and another judge having the other guy winning,” Sulaiman bemoaned. “Controversy like that in the Fury-Usyk fight will kill boxing.”

So Sulaiman said he has distributed an emergency petition to the WBO, WBA and IBF, Fury and Usyk and their promoters asking them to institute a six-judge panel for their championship bout in Saudi Arabia.

The theory is that an abundance of judges will minimize the effect of a bad scorecard or two.

The pitch is viewed as a longshot to be embraced, and even Sulaiman conceded his past suggestions on the matter have been met with “lots of resistance.”

Yet, he’s hopeful that introducing the six-judge panel on a “major, major fight” will set things in motion for the system to continue from there on in boxing.

“Fights, especially those at this highest level, deserve this and so I’m putting forward this proposal now to all sanctioning bodies, promoters and fighters,” Sulaiman said.

He said all parties involved must approve the six-judge panel for it to be implemented on fight night. Sulaiman said two judges would be placed on each side of the ring where broadcasters are not seated.

“It has to be something we all agree on,” Sulaiman said.

He has yet to receive a formal response on his request from either WBC champion Fury or Usyk, who previously stood as a WBC champion when he was the undisputed cruiserweight champion.

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Tyson Fury responds to Ring Magazine heavyweight rankings after Anthony Joshua boost

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Anthony Joshua

Oleksandr Usyk has once again been named champion in Ring Magazine’s boxing rankings, something Tyson Fury isn’t too pleased about. Fury has topped their rankings twice in the past and confidently claimed that he surrendered his title just so he could climb back to win it for a third time.

Fury will become the undisputed heavyweight champion on May 18 if he can beat Usyk, and could become the holder of the WBA (Super), IBF, WBO, and IBO titles.

Usyk initially took the belts off Anthony Joshua in 2021 and retained them a year later when facing the British heavyweight again in Saudi Arabia. Usyk’s ninth-round knockout win against Daniel Dubois in August was enough to retain the Ring heavyweight honours, but Fury is very confident about being the champion again after May 18.

“I’m the craziest mother***** out there,” Fury said on social media. “I gave up the Ring belt so I could win it three times.”

Usyk is top of the rankings as the heavyweight champion, with Fury in first (second) and Joshua in (third). The latter has climbed up the list thanks to his impressive recent form.

Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn called Joshua the “best heavyweight in the world” after he knocked out Francis Ngannou in the second round earlier this month, making it his fourth win in a row after losing consecutive bouts against Usyk. Joshua has only lost three times in his career, the other instance being against Andy Ruiz Jr when the Mexican fighter produced a shock win via TKO.

His rise back to the top has been acknowledged by Ring, after beating Ngannou, Otto Wallin, Robert Helenius, and Jermaine Franklin since August 2022. Hearn wants Joshua to finally face Fury after years of negotiations, as he’s aware that AJ is in the form of his life.

Fury on the other hand was underwhelming in his last fight, when he faced Ngannou on his boxing debut. Fury was knocked down by the former UFC champion and controversially won via a split decision, but has no concerns ahead of facing Usyk.

“It’s going to be one of the fights for the ages,” Fury said at a press conference in London. “I believe we are both destined to be here and to be in this big fight in Saudi Arabia, and there’s only one winner, and I am destined to become the undisputed champion.

“More than that, I am destined to cement my legacy as the No. 1 fighter in this era. To do that I have to beat this little man and that’s it, simple as. Easier said than done I understand, he’s a tricky man, a good boxer, and slick.

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Keith Thurman-Tim Tszyu Winner May Have A Chance To Fight Terence Crawford

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Calvin Ford thinks that if Keith Thurman beats Tim Tszyu, he could have a chance at fighting Terence Crawford.

Thurman will face Tszyu on March 30 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The bout will be broadcast on Amazon Prime pay-per-view.

Ford is a high-profile coach and serves as the lead voice along with his co-trainer Kenny Ellis in the career of Gervonta Davis.

The elephant in the room is Terence Crawford. The two-division undisputed champion stopped Errol Spence Jr last July in what was viewed as a 50-50 fight. But Crawford dominated the fight en route to a ninth-round technical stoppage.

Crawford was thought to rematch Spence, but that fight hasn’t gained traction and Crawford then teased a move up in weight.

Thurman-Tszyu is being contested at a catchweight of 155 lbs. – one weight class above where Crawford holds the WBC, WBA, and WBO welterweight world titles.

Ford looks at the fight as a chance for either to land a fight with the generational great Crawford.

“Like I said, the winner of this fight may have a chance to fight Terence Crawford,” said Ford. “That is motivation right there.”

Thurman (30-1, 22 KOs) is coming off a lengthy layoff and chronic inactivity. He has fought three times in seven years. He went from being one of the top names in the sport to potentially missing out on facing some of the biggest names of his era – Errol Spence Jr. and Terence Crawford and Ford doesn’t count out Thurman.

“Thurman’s got options if he pulls this one off,” added Ford with a smile during a media conference call. “Both of them have something to prove.”

Tszyu (24-0, 17 KOs) is the opposite. He is seemingly trying to move as fast as possible, fighting three times in 2023. Tszyu has moved up the competition during that time, stopping Tony Harrison and beating Brian Mendoza. Now, Tszyu will look to prove he belongs in a fight with the biggest names in the sport. Thurman is his toughest test on paper, yet.

“This is going to be [an interesting fight],” stated Ford. “Tim Tszyu has been doing his thing, man. I am looking forward to that night, and seeing what is going to happen.”

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BOXING

Terence Crawford Would Beat Canelo Alvarez’s “A” Like He Did to Errol Spence Jr., Says ‘BoMac’

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Terence Crawford and Canelo Alvarez

Terence Crawford‘s training photo, which was posted last month, sparked some interesting theories. The welterweight champion appears to have added significant muscle, raising speculations about a possible move up in weight and a blockbuster fight against Canelo Alvarez. While Canelo is booked to fight Jaime Munguia in May, his next possible step can be anybody’s guess.

And with Jermall Charlo potentially out of the picture, Crawford’s name is rising to the top of the contender list. Furthermore, even Crawford’s team believes that the two-weight undisputed champion would dominate the Mexican boxer. In a recent interview, Crawford’s head trainer answered why Canelo Alvarez is a tough opponent for Crawford.

Brian ‘BoMac’ McIntyre displays confidence in Terence Crawford’s ability

In an interview with FightHype, Brian McIntyre was asked questions surrounding the potential fight between Terence Crawford and Canelo Alvarez. Well, it’s safe to say that McIntyre isn’t too worried about that fight, as he believes that Crawford can easily “outbox” the undisputed super-middleweight champion.

The moment McIntyre was asked about his thoughts on the fight. He answered, “Bud beats his a**.” Well, this prompted more questions from the media, and they wanted to know more.

‘BoMac’ said, “Outbox his a**. Just outbox him and s**t.” Then he was asked about the weight difference between the two fighters. “It don’t matter. Bud’s been fighting big people all day, all his f***ing life,” McIntyre responded.

He also stated that Alvarez’s much-vaunted head movement wouldn’t cause much of a problem to the Omaha native.  He said, “That’s what I’m here for. That’s what Esau [Diéguez] there for. That’s what Red [Spikes] there for, you know what I’m saying. It’s called coaches, so we going to get past that s**t.”

Then, he was also asked about how dominant he thought Crawford would be against Alvarez. McIntyre believes Canelo will suffer the same fate as Errol Spence Jr. He stated, “Oh it’d be Errol Spence and Crawford 2.” Notably, Crawford’s team seems confident!. Nonetheless, Canelo Alvarez seems to have no interest in fighting Terence Crawford.

Canelo Alvarez doesn’t want to risk it

Canelo Alvarez, the undisputed super middleweight king, after facing Jaime Munguia on May 6th, will have a plethora of options to choose from for his next opponent. Meanwhile, Crawford hasn’t stepped into the ring since his undisputed welterweight title victory over Errol Spence Jr. last July.

While a rematch with Spence was a frontrunner, the allure of a Canelo showdown has never faded. The biggest hurdle? Weight. And this is the exact concern taken up by Alvarez as well during his interview with Box Azteca, earlier this year. He said, “So now if you imagine Crawford as a welterweight. 168lbs, I have everything to lose and nothing to gain because if I win, they’ll say, ‘Oh, he was too small, and everything!”

As of now, the chances of Terence Crawford and Canelo Alvarez stepping inside the ring are slim. For that to happen, maybe, Crawford might have to prove his prowess in the super middleweight division and then challenge ‘Cinnamon’. What are your thoughts about this? Tell us in the comments section.

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BOXING

How Joshua turned £15,000 first pay to £500M career earnings

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Anthony Joshua

In the world of boxing, tales of rags-to-riches journeys often captivate audiences, but few stories rival the meteoric rise of Anthony Joshua. From his humble beginnings in the ring, marked by a meager £15,000 payday for his inaugural professional bout, to his staggering career earnings totaling £500,140,000, Joshua’s journey is a testament to unwavering resilience, unyielding dedication, and a relentless pursuit of excellence, PETER AKINBO writes

Before the glitz and glamor of the professional circuit, Joshua honed his craft in amateur boxing, amassing accolades and acclaim that foreshadowed his future dominance.

With an impeccable amateur record and a 2012 Olympic gold medal adorning his chest, Joshua transitioned seamlessly into the professional ranks, signaling the dawn of a new era in heavyweight boxing.

Emanuele Leo was his first opponent in the pros and he was quickly secured his first pro paycheck by knocking Leo out in the first round at the 02 Arena pocketing  £15,000 for the bout.

Joshua went on to earn £50,000 in his next two fights which he won by knockouts against Paul Butlin and Hrvoje Kisicek. He followed that up with a £75,000 pay-day against Dorian Darch who also fell victim to Joshua’s knockout power.

His first million-pound purse would wait till his 8th professional bout against Konstantin Airich who he also dispatched by TKO and bagged a £1m purse. Joshua steadily climbed the ranks, each triumph contributing to his burgeoning reputation and financial standing.

Joshua’s ambition had always set him apart from his peers. In a candid interview dating back to April 2017, Joshua spoke of his aspirations to not only conquer the boxing world but to transcend it, aiming to become the sport’s first billionaire.

“When I first started, the aim was to become a multi-millionaire,” Joshua said.

“But now there are ordinary people, grandmas and granddads, who are worth millions just because of property prices. So the new school of thought is that I need to be a billionaire.”

Joshua went on to earn £1m from four other fights and £2m from wins over Kevin Johnson and Gary Cornish before a £3m purse for his win over Dillian Whyte and a total of £14.5m from his next three bouts.

However, it was his resounding victory over Wladimir Klitschko in the same month that catapulted Joshua into boxing stardom. Not only did the win secure his status as a heavyweight champion, but it also significantly boosted his earnings, with a staggering £15m purse attached to the fight.

His rematch with Andy Ruiz Jr., which saw him reclaim his titles from the American who handed him his first loss, brought in a monumental £66m payday, a testament to his enduring appeal and drawing power.

Joshua’s highest purse from a bout was made in his rematch with Oleksandr Usyk which he lost by split decision. In the first bout, Joshua earned £20m and in the rematch in Saudi Arabia, the two-time heavyweight champion bagged a whopping sum of £70m.

Undeterred by setbacks, such as his defeats to Usyk, Joshua showcased his resilience by bouncing back with triumphant victories in his next four fights which saw him earn a total of £86 with the biggest pay coming from his most recent fight against Francis Ngannou in Saudi Arabia where he pocketed £40m.

Each victory not only added to his legacy in the ring but also swelled his bank balance, underscoring his status as one of boxing’s most bankable stars.

Looking ahead, Joshua’s sights are set firmly on the horizon, his appetite for success as voracious as ever. With a record of 28-3-0 (25 KOs), the 34-year-old now has his sights set on becoming a
three-time heavyweight champion.

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‘I’m coming’ – Joe Joyce sends message to Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury and the heavyweight elite following comeback win over Kash Ali

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Anthony Joshua

Joe Joyce is ready to mix it with boxing’s best heavyweights again.

‘The Juggernaut’ boasted a perfect 15-0 record and was seemingly on the verge of a world title shot before he suffered back-to-back stoppage defeats against Chinese heavyweight Zhilei Zhang.

In April 2023, Zhang wore Joyce down and the doctor stopped the fight in the sixth round due to damage to the eye of the British Olympic medallist.

The 38-year-old tried to rebound from his first professional defeat in a rematch with ‘Big Bang’, but that fight ended more brutally than the original.

Zhang scored a spectacular one-shot knockout win in round three when they squared off for a second time last September.

On Saturday night, Joyce got his career back on track with a last-gasp knockout win over Kash Ali at the Resorts World Arena in Birmingham.

Now, he feels ready to take on another top-tier heavyweight after previously picking up impressive stoppage victories over Joseph Parker and Daniel Dubois.

“I wanna be one of the best and I’m right there,” Joyce told talkSPORT Fight Night immediately after beating Ali.

“So, I’m up for all these big fights. Obviously, there’s some rematches that need to take place and some fights that need to happen. But I’m coming for all of the fights.

“Any opportunities in Saudi, we’ll see. Here in the UK and America. The world is my oyster, especially as a heavyweight. I’m really excited get these big fight nights.”

Joyce is open to fighting on the undercard of Dmitry Bivol vs Artur Beterbiev, which will see his promoter, Frank Warren, put forward five fighters to clash against five boxers from Eddie Hearn’s stable on June 1.

He added: “I’m up for getting in again, being more active this year and giving some big, entertaining fights.

“I’m ready. I’m just gonna have a little rest, reflect with my team, and come again. I’m really excited to start the year off with a bang, with a good knockout, and I got some rounds under my belt as well.”

Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk are boxing’s two best heavyweights, but they are set to fight each other for all the belts on May 18 before potentially squaring off in a rematch later this year.

Anthony Joshua is hoping to face the winner. In the meantime, he may want to stay busy and an all-British blockbuster with his former sparring partner could pique his interest.

Deontay Wilder is looking for a comeback opponent after suffering a shocking defeat to Parker, who will be keen to avenge his only KO defeat after recently outpointing Zhang.

Joyce is certainly not short of options. It’ll be interesting to see what route he takes after reviving his career by beating Ali and sending a statement of intent to the rest of the heavyweight division.

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After Devin Haney Offer, Shakur Stevenson Accepts This “Real Killer” as His Next Opponent

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Devin Haney

The latest developments suggest that Shakur Stevenson might finally have luck on his side. Opportunities appear to be knocking at his door once again. It could signal a promising turn of events for the three-division world champion.

After a thankfully short-lived retirement, the talented young boxer hinted at June’s return. However, he seemingly found an early opening. The peculiar online behavior of Ryan Garcia leading up to the title fight against Devin Haney has sparked calls for the bout to be canceled. But Shakur Stevenson believes that he could be the ideal replacement for ‘KingRy’. Now he couldn’t have been luckier. The news of his overtures to position himself in the big fight had started gathering traction. However, in a twist of fate, another break seems to have followed.

Shakur Stevenson seizes the moment

At The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, Chelsea Ballroom, unbeaten lightweight William Zepeda continued his winning streak. He defeated the former IBO lightweight champion from England, Daniel ‘Maxi’ Hughes, in DAZN’s headline event. With the triumph, the Mexican southpaw has set himself up as the mandatory challenger to both the WBA and IBF title holders. Rick Glaser tweeted an update on the news early in the morning today.

Tagging Zepeda, the boxing matchmaker shared that technically, the win over ‘Maxi’ Hughes has put ‘Camaron’ the WBA’s mandatory challenger to Gervonta Davis (now Abdul Wahid). Additionally, he can now stake a claim to the IBF title by challenging the winner of the May 12 fight between Vasyl Lomachenko and George Kambosos Jr. According to Glaser, the Zepeda-‘Tank’ fight bears all the markings of a great match.

Rick Glaser said, “#WilliamZepeda is all that, & the best is yet to come. Zepeda is now the WBA Mandatory for #TankDavis & Mandatory for the winner of the IBF title fight, Loma-Kambosos. Zepeda vs. Tank Davis would be all-action! #DAZN #GoldenBoy #Boxing.“

A few hours later, Shakur Stevenson joined. William Zepeda is already the mandatory challenger to the WBC title that he grabbed last November. Given that he doesn’t have any opponents in hand as of now, a fight with Zepeda makes great sense. “He also #1 for the WBC.. A real killer right in front of me, and I don’t any opponents lined up, lol,” said the Newark-born southpaw. Then, tagging the Mexican southpaw, Stevenson called out the Mexican boxer and said, “#StevensonZepeda, next, let’s make it happen!!“

Early in the morning, Shakur Stevenson responded back to Boxing Kingdom’s post. Per the message, given the high chances of Garcia-Haney caving in, Team Haney might have already started looking out for a backup opponent.

Embracing Opportunities

Replying back, Shakur Stevenson said that despite his best efforts, he couldn’t reach out to Bill Haney. Otherwise, it is a fight he would love to step into. “Damn, I reached out to Bill didn’t get a reply, but we would love to step in, especially in NY.. We would sell out, and it’s a big fight,” said the three-division champion.

Interestingly, in a separate development, it seems Oscar De La Hoya, who promotes both Ryan Garcia and William Zepeda, seems eager for a fight between Stevenson and ‘Camaron’.

Thus, fans could expect Stevenson back in the ring perhaps sooner than expected. As of now, the possibility of a title defense against William Zepeda appears most likely. Maybe after the plausible win, he could challenge ‘Tank’ for a much-vaunted big fight. Otherwise, as an alternate, he can check for opening a new chapter in the division.

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Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis targeted by fighter’s manager ahead of title fight

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Gervonta Davis
There could be a massive title fight later this year.

Isaac Cruz’s manager believes his fighter could be set to run it back with Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis.

Cruz and Davis fought three years ago, with the current WBA lightweight champion coming out on top, but the fight announced the Mexican to a wider boxing audience due to his credible performance.

Davis is rumoured to be fighting Frank Martin in June to defend his belt, while Cruz’s next clash is with Rolley Romero on March 30 (live on Amazon in the US).

The winner of Cruz vs. Romero would not be mandatory for any fighter, but both would be well placed to line up another fighter as the WBA super lightweight champion, a weight class in which Davis has fought before. Gibbons believes that an impressive showing against Romero would put him in control.

“Pitbull’ will come out of this a star, and if he really whacks ‘Rolly,’ all he has to do is stand up in that ring and ask, ‘Gervonta, what do you want now?’” Gibbons said, reported BoxingScene.com.

“There’s a real mystique about ‘Pitbull,’ and that opportunity to look sensational against ‘Rolly’ exists because [Romero] tends to just stand there … this might be a slow beatdown and a fight that steals the show.”

He continued, discussing the outcome Cruz and Davis won their respective fights ahead, saying: “If both win, this fight should happen,” Gibbons said.

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